What was Artemis II?
Artemis II was the first crewed mission of the Artemis campaign. It used the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft to send four astronauts on a flight around the Moon and back to Earth. The mission was not about planting flags or descending to the surface. It was about proving that the crew vehicle, life support, navigation, communications and recovery process could support people beyond low Earth orbit.
NASA launched the crew from Kennedy Space Center on 1 April 2026. Orion splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off California on 10 April after a nearly 10-day journey. The astronauts flew past the Moon and returned without a surface landing.
Who flew on Artemis II?
Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch represented NASA. Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen flew for the Canadian Space Agency.
The four became the first people to travel to the Moon's vicinity since Apollo 17 in 1972. Their work aboard Orion included manual flying tests, observations and systems checks.
What did Artemis II test?
The mission tested Orion as a crewed spacecraft, the SLS launch system, mission control operations, navigation, communications, thermal performance, crew procedures and Earth re-entry. It also prepared teams for the more demanding choreography of later Artemis missions.
The completed flight gave NASA data for the later docking demonstration and planned surface missions. Postflight analysis continues to inform those plans.
What happened after the lunar flyby?
Orion returned to Earth on 10 April 2026. NASA and recovery teams brought the crew and capsule aboard a recovery ship for medical checks and spacecraft inspection.
Artemis III is planned as the next crewed test: a 2027 demonstration of rendezvous and docking with commercial lander test vehicles in low Earth orbit.
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Frequently asked questions
Did Artemis II land on the Moon?
No. Artemis II was a crewed lunar flyby and systems test, not a lunar surface landing.
What rocket did Artemis II use?
Artemis II used NASA Space Launch System, known as SLS, with the Orion spacecraft.
Why is Artemis II important?
It tested crewed operations beyond low Earth orbit and prepared the programme for later lunar surface missions.